The Prospector | Page 8

of the Dominion.
The McGill men are the first to appear on the campus, and are
welcomed with loud and generous cheers, which are, however,
redoubled upon the appearance of the 'Varsity champions.
Many eyes are turned upon the Fairbanks carriage. The young ladies
are well known in University circles; but the quaint old lady, looking so
handsome in spite of her plain black bonnet, awakens the curiosity of
the crowd, which only increases when it becomes known that she is
Shock's mother.
"Do you see Hamish, my dear?" inquires the old lady. "They are so
much alike I cannot distinguish him."
"Go and bring him," cries Betty, and Lloyd returns in a moment with
Shock and little Brown.
"Mother! mother! This is awful. You won't like it a bit. You'll think I'm
getting killed many a time."
But the old lady only smiles placidly. "Indeed, and I'm not afraid for
you. Run away, Hamish, and be careful of the laddies."
"Don't tell him that, Mrs. Macgregor," pleads Brown. "He's far too
gentle as it is."
Some few minutes are spent in arranging for the kick-off.
"Oh, I do wish they would start," exclaims Betty, standing up in the
carriage. "If they would only start!" she repeats. "I want to have a
chance to shriek."
"There they go!" exclaims Lloyd.
It is McGill's kick. Huntingdon, the big captain and centre forward,
takes it magnificently, following up hard with his whole team. Pepper,
the 'Varsity full back, however, is at the spot and returns into touch. In
the throw-in McGill secures the ball, and by a swift rush makes fifteen
or twenty feet, when, amid the cheers of the spectators, both teams
settle down into their first scrimmage.
These are the days of close scrimmage play, when nine men on each
side put their heads down with the ball between them, and shove for
dear life. Picking out, heeling out, or kicking out is strictly forbidden
and promptly penalised.

The first scrimmage results in a dead ball. Once more a scrimmage is
formed, but again the result is a dead ball. Over and over again this
play is repeated with very little gain on either side. It gradually
becomes apparent, however, that McGill in a scrimmage is slightly
heavier. Foot by foot they work their way toward the 'Varsity goal.
The cries of "Hold them, 'Varsity! Hold them, 'Varsity!" and, "You've
got 'em, McGill! You've got 'em!" indicate the judgment of the
spectators.
"Ay," says the old lady, "they are a bit heavy for them, I doubt."
"Who!" inquires Betty, much amused.
"The Montreal lads. But we will be waiting a meenute."
It is a very slow game for the crowds that line every side of the field.
Neither team will let the ball out. Again and again the quarters nip up
the ball and pass, but the tackling is so hard and swift that the halves
cannot get away, and by passing ground is almost always lost.
"Keep it in!" is the word. Inch by inch towards the 'Varsity goal the
McGill forwards fight their way.
Suddenly the McGill scrimmage weakens and breaks up. Their quarter
seizes the ball, passes it low and swift to Bunch, who is off like the
wind across the field, dodges through the quarters, knocks off Martin
and Bate, and with The Don coming hard upon his flank, sets off for
the 'Varsity line with only Pepper between him and a touch- down.
But Pepper is waiting for him, cool and steady. As Bunch nears him he
crouches like a cat, creeping slowly to meet his coming foe. Ten feet
from the line straight at the full back goes Bunch. At two paces
distance he changes his mind and swerves to the left with the hope of
dodging past.
But he has ventured too far. Pepper takes two short steps, and like a
tiger springs at his foe, winds his arms round his hips and drags him
down, while The Don from the side leaps fiercely on him and holds the
ball safe, five feet from the line.
'Varsity goes wild with relief.
"Pepper! Pepper! Red hot Pepper!" they chant rapturously in
enthusiastic groups here and there, as Pepper's red head emerges from
the crowd piled upon him and the prostrate Bunch. Again and again
rises the chant, as the full back returns at a slow trot to his place behind
the line.

"Indeed, it is Pepper is the grand laddie," says the old lady approvingly.
"Many's the game he has saved, Hamish will be telling me."
"Now, McGill!" calls out a Montreal man, leading his fellows. "Stone
wall! Stone wall! Shove 'em in! Shove 'em in!"
But the 'Varsity captain is alive to his danger, and getting his men low
down he determines to hold the